The Silver Lining Foundation - Addressing Violence and LGBT Youth Support in Trinidad and Tobago

Happy PRIDE!

Posted on June 1, 2017 by Earl Edmund

June is celebrated widely as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) pride month, a month dedicated to bringing the community together and celebrate their achievements, re-energising our efforts for future change. It is the act of a positive stance against discrimination and violence towards the LGBTQ community and works to promote positive self-affirmation for LGBTQ people, increase visibility and celebrate sexual diversity and gender expression. We know that when one identifies as LGBTQ, we often automatically become a target.…

Show Your Colours – Celebrating IDAHOBIT

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Jeremy - SLF

The freedom to be yourself is a very special right that everyone – indeed, everyone – is entitled to. Today, we celebrate that freedom to be yourself, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, faith, beliefs and gender or sexual identity. Today, we give everyone a real chance to flourish. Today, we embrace difference and say NO to any and all forms of discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community. Today, we celebrate the International Day Against…

Finding an Equal Place – Model United Nations 2017

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Jeremy - SLF

One of the flagship projects of the Rotary Club of Central Port of Spain (RCCPOS) is the annual hosting of the Model United Nations (MUN). This year, the 20th installment of the MUN was held on March 18-19 2017 at the Hilton Trinidad Hotel and was attended by 120 students from Trinidad, Tobago, Suriname, St Lucia, Guyana and Barbados. The mission of the MUN is to foster a constructive forum for young people to have open dialogue on complex global…

Statement: Re- Zidane Malone & Mazza Baptiste

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Jeremy - SLF

The Silver Lining Foundation (SLF) extends its deepest sympathies to the families of 14-year-old Zidane Malone, who sadly took his life on October 28th, 2016, and 13-year-old Mazza Baptiste, who tragically ended her life on October 30th, 2016. Zidane was a student of the Five Rivers Secondary School while Mazza was a student of the Cowen Hamilton Secondary School. They both had bright futures ahead of them and we now grieve the loss of these young, gifted souls with their…

Homophobia and How I Became an Ally

Posted on October 26, 2016 by admin

The definition of “gay” was multitudinous during my later secondary school years attending an all-girls’ school. If you were friends with the same person for too long, you were gay. If you hugged for too long, you were gay. If you complimented your friend, they would immediately blush and declare you to be gay. If you liked a boy from the nearby boys’ school, you were gay, and they were all gay, too. Slowly, the definition grew from being slang,…

Buddies Over Bullies

Posted on October 2, 2016 by Jeremy - SLF

Happy Bullying Prevention Month! This month is particularly important for the Silver Lining Foundation as it reminds us of the genesis of the foundation – to serve as a guardian body for marginalized youth who are or have been victims of bullying, seeking to prevent suicide and discrimination. While our primary focus is centered on youth under the framework of sexual diversity and gender identity and expression, we are charged with tackling bullying and discrimination as a general notion. Bullying…

TTFF & A Safe Space

Posted on September 24, 2016 by admin

Today marks a grand day for The Silver Lining Foundation in its quest to Support, Educate and Advocate for LGBT and discriminated youth in Trinidad and Tobago. On this day in 2015, “A Safe Space” was accepted into the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF) and was presented on 24th and 28th September at MovieTowne, Port-of-Spain. The film was well-received by the public, who following the viewing of the film, held a discussion session with SLF members. The Silver…

SLF Karaoke – A “Silver Lining” of Hope for LGBTQ Youths

Posted on September 17, 2016 by admin

September 16th 2016 Every year the Silver Lining Foundation (SLF) hosts a Karaoke fundraiser as part of its on-going efforts to advance the cause of building safe spaces which welcomes inclusion, tolerance and diversity among all members of society. It is the fourth year the foundation has hosted this event at the Studio Rumors Lounge and each year it has grown in attendance and public interest. When SLF initially embarked on this fundraiser the main goal was simply to generate…

Remembering George

Posted on September 13, 2016 by admin

Five years ago on this day, in a moment of unrelenting hopelessness and absolute desperation, a young George Kazanjian made a decision that ultimately had a far reaching impact on the lives of the many people who were most close to him and to the strangers he would never meet. Today marks the five year anniversary of the tragic passing of our beloved George Kazanjian. The Silver Lining Foundation (SLF) would like to extend our sincere condolences to the friends…

International Youth Day: Eradicating LGBT Poverty

Posted on August 15, 2016 by admin

On August 12, 2016, the UN joined the world in celebrating International Youth Day with the theme of “Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production.” Poverty is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) issue. It is a common fear for youths in Trinidad and Tobago to be threatened with homelessness if they are found to be LGBT. Coming out has become one of the hardest decisions for LGBT youths, as in most cases they are forcefully thrown out from…

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